Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.
How would a Buddhist deal with a gambling addiction and laziness?
ravkes
Veteran
I've lost about $4,500 gambling on sports.
I have a very low GPA in college; very lazy, I don't pay attention in class, I don't feel like studying, I have no interest.. no career-direction (I'm a 5th year..)
I have posted questions relating to these subjects about a year ago, and I thought I got over my habits... but as of late they have been popping up again..
How would a Buddhist deal with these recurrent issues?
Thank you.
I have a very low GPA in college; very lazy, I don't pay attention in class, I don't feel like studying, I have no interest.. no career-direction (I'm a 5th year..)
I have posted questions relating to these subjects about a year ago, and I thought I got over my habits... but as of late they have been popping up again..
How would a Buddhist deal with these recurrent issues?
Thank you.
0
Comments
I think when I used to post on these forums, I was just looking for an escape from my reality. Thanks for some practical advice.
Knowing your problem and accepting advice from others are the first steps to fixing it.
If you don't gamble, do you find this 'addiction' goes in another direction? Sex, shopping, ebay, Xbox; something like that?
What Tosh said. Looks like you have a strong desire to be stimulated. You should identify this.
Do you meditate? I highly recommend that practice.
I constantly craved highs and felt depressed when I wasn't getting them. Funny part is I was also too lazy to do anything about it too, that's the worst combination! Probably why I was depressed for an extended period of time..
Also in terms of gambling; I generally make a large profit and lose it so I think that if I correct my mistakes I'll win, but I keep making the same mistakes. My pride is a factor as well - The fact that I win is a contributing factor to my large losses ironically, (too many overconfident bets, not enough time researching because I'm lazy, impulse bets).. I really don't have the personality of a successful sports bettor.
Thanks for the responses everyone, they're really getting my brain ticking! It's been a while.. haha
My father could gamble with the best of them. Gambled on the horses and dog racing. Occasionally went to Las Vegas and Atlantic City for the casinos. Enjoyed gambling on jai alai in Florida. But it was an addiction with him. He did it all occasionally, mostly after retirement when he had nothing else to do. He would go in with a certain amount of money he would spend, and he would spend that -- win or lose -- and then leave. Sometimes he wouldn't gamble for months at a time. It was just recreational.
On the other hand, I have seen people who are truly addicted. They're the type that can't really afford to be gambling at all, and once they start, whether they're on a winning or losing streak, they can't stop. That's when they're hooked and, in my view, have become attached to gambling. And, as a Buddhist, it's at that point that I would begin thinking about right thought and right action, etc.
In addition to Nomad's great advice, I would add: Once you have recouped your losses, be mindful not to entertain the temptation to "decoup" them again.
Metta,
Guy
So you need to find a healthier way by way of an antidote to these negative feelings. I used the 12 Steps, but I was quite a 'low bottom' drunk. I also think that the sheer fact you're asking questions on a Buddhist website show that you may already have some understanding of the problem; and to find a solution, we need to understand the problem; and the problem is you change the way you feel by gambling, etc.
The solution? I think Buddhism could be the solution in the long term; but if gambling is really affecting your life badly - right now - then try Gambler's Anonymous and do the 12 Step program.
Good luck, and I hope that's been of some use.
Gambling is not an ethical occupation in my opinion. Consider that if you lose, you're out money. If you win, the money you earn is at the expense of other's losses. When I consider a casino, for instance, I notice how they prey on greed and hope and make huge profits. If we patron a casino, even if we win, we lose, because our hand is reaching into a tainted source. Perhaps spend a few moments considering where the money you win comes from, and the desire to take that kind of money will diminish.
The more we intend on living a life of being harmless to ourselves and others, the less restless we feel. Shedding our contribution to unhealthy human conditions is an important part of that intent.
With warmth,
Matt
This is a book of a gambler turned dharma practitioner.
http://www.kechara.com/publications/publications/biography-series/take-a-chance-on-henry/
sick reasoning skillz.. that's true, casinos.. sports betting.. all of this.. they get revenue from other people's heartbreak.. what a horrible biz.
thanks! good reason to not engage in this.
Gambling is the cause of not having money.
One can quit gambling if one really wants to.
And the way to quit gambling is:
Practice loving kindness
Give to charity
Practice meditation
Be virtuous, and pay visits to sanghas
Gambling is not the way to go unless you have self control and discipline. Having those two attributes you can succeed at anything including gambling. I used to bet on soccer years ago starting with only 200 and in three months believe it or not I had over 5000 in my account all due to betting smart and not getting too greedy. However, right around world cup came around I started betting 1K on games and soon enough I lost everything all due to my greed getting out of control. A very tough lesson for me.
You are exactly like me lol, I just had a conversation with my friend about how I lose money and do poorly in school because I don't have self control or discipline.
Nice! At least you learned with only $200 though, didn't have to go through $4500 like me! lol
I battled myself for a long time with addictions and lack of appropriate self-care (I still battle sometimes). I thought, "I'm just too lazy to do anything about this," but that wasn't true. I was actually just really, really, really pissed at myself, and it only got worse as I added on more bad decisions. When I'm pissed at myself, I do not make the right choices to take care of my body and spirit. When my spirit is unwell, I tend to be self-destructive. So, you see, it's a giant cycle of cause and effect.
My most effective "first step" when I realize that I'm falling back into this pattern of laziness, is to sit with myself, offer love and acceptance to my situation, and remind myself of my Buddha Nature. Of course after this, it takes lots of work to maintain self-care, and I usually end up slipping back from time-to-time. But this is the path I choose to walk, because the other paths were taking me much farther from my true nature.
It's a matter of value and appreciate. What ever one plays with without value and appreciate he will sooner or later loss. So we should think about if carefully, the good situation we have will maybe not come a second time.
Stay mindful! *smile*
from the Sigalovada Sutta: The Discourse to Sigala (Buddhas advices to a young man)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html
Thus spoke the Exalted One. And when the Master had thus spoken, he spoke yet again:
Whoever through desire, hate or fear, Or ignorance should transgress the Dhamma, All his glory fades away Like the moon during the waning half. Whoever through desire, hate or fear, Or ignorance never transgresses the Dhamma, All his glory ever increases Like the moon during the waxing half.
(3) "What are the six channels for dissipating wealth which he does not pursue?
(a) "indulgence in intoxicants which cause infatuation and heedlessness;
(b) sauntering in streets at unseemly hours;
(c) frequenting theatrical shows;
(d) indulgence in gambling which causes heedlessness;
(e) association with evil companions;
(f) the habit of idleness.
(a) "There are, young householder, these six evil consequences in indulging in intoxicants which cause infatuation and heedlessness:
(i) loss of wealth,
(ii) increase of quarrels,
(iii) susceptibility to disease,
(iv) earning an evil reputation,
(v) shameless exposure of body,
(vi) weakening of intellect.
(b) "There are, young householder, these six evil consequences in sauntering in streets at unseemly hours:
(i) he himself is unprotected and unguarded,
(ii) his wife and children are unprotected and unguarded,
(iii) his property is unprotected and unguarded,
(iv) he is suspected of evil deeds,[3]
(v) he is subject to false rumours,
(vi) he meets with many troubles.
(c) "There are, young householder, these six evil consequences in frequenting theatrical shows. He is ever thinking:
(i) where is there dancing?
(ii) where is there singing?
(iii) where is there music?
(iv) where is there recitation?
(v) where is there playing with cymbals?
(vi) where is there pot-blowing?[4]
(d) "There are, young householder, these six evil consequences in indulging in gambling:
(i) the winner begets hate,
(ii) the loser grieves for lost wealth,
(iii) loss of wealth,
(iv) his word is not relied upon in a court of law,
(v) he is despised by his friends and associates,
(vi) he is not sought after for matrimony; for people would say he is a gambler and is not fit to look after a wife.
(e) "There are, young householder, these six evil consequences in associating with evil companions, namely: any gambler, any libertine, any drunkard, any swindler, any cheat, any rowdy is his friend and companion.
(f) "There are, young householder, these six evil consequences in being addicted to idleness:
"He does no work, saying:
(i) that it is extremely cold,
(ii) that it is extremely hot,
(iii) that it is too late in the evening,
(iv) that it is too early in the morning,
(v) that he is extremely hungry,
(vi) that he is too full.
"Living in this way, he leaves many duties undone, new wealth he does not get, and wealth he has acquired dwindles away."